Caught in the Rain
by A-J-aria
Summary: It was by mere coincidence that Vivienne happened to be on her balcony as the Inquisitor and the apostate were leaving through Skyhold's main gates. So she was the only one who noticed when Solas returned without the Herald at his side.


**Askbox tumblr fic for anon who requested Solavellan and "Caught in the Rain". Not sure why I chose to write this from Vivienne's POV - there's not enough of her in the fandom I guess. Not sure if I did her justice, but ah well. As always reviews and feedback are always greatly appreciated. **

It was by mere coincidence that Vivienne happened to be on her balcony as the Inquisitor and the apostate were leaving through Skyhold's main gates. She watched the familiar intimacy between the two. The way in which Lavellan leaned in to his body and the way in which their hands brushed past each other as they walked. Oh so intimate yet subtle so as not to draw the attentions of those around them.

She felt a bittersweet pang as she watched the two, so utterly infatuated that it reminded her of her dear Bastien. Which was why when night fell, and the elf returned back without the Lady Herald in tow, she knew exactly what had happened.

"I see you've come back," Vivienne spoke to Solas as she entered the atrium.

"May I help you, Madame de Fer?" The elf spoke from his desk in the center of the room. He did not look at her and although his tone was cordial, she could easily see that it was taking much of his control to keep his voice so.

"Oh pardon my intrusion, darling," she waved with a false air of superiority and took pleasure in the way he bristled at her words. "I was simply wondering if you knew where the Lady Herald was."

He tensed. "No. I don't."

"Is that so?" The Knight Enchanter approached the center of the room, circling around the apostate and his desk as she eyed him with a critical eye like a predator on its prey. "I could have sworn I had watched you two leave Skyhold together. Surely, Solas, you must know _something_." She paused as she stood across the desk from him, leaning her hand on the table and absentmindedly running her fingers through the pages strewn about its surface with the other.

Solas' eyes narrowed and the atmosphere in the room grew more hostile within moments. She had clearly struck a chord. _Good_, she thought. Solas liked to act as if he knew everything there was to know about the kind of person Vivienne was. But right now, she could see right through him. "Madame de Fer," he addressed, formally. "I apologize but I am not currently in the mood for any of your petty Orlesian games," he spoke, tone clipped. She felt her lips twitch upwards slightly as the steel edge began to coat his words. They had little affect on her though. After all, Madame Vivienne de Fer was the Lady of Iron for a reason.

"I see," she replied simply, pushing off the desk. Vivienne turned her back to him, heading once more to the entrance of the atrium. She paused before the door and turned her head to address the apostate once more. "Insult the Game all you like, my dear," she commented, a knowing smile twisting her lips. "But never forget that _you_ are one of its most formidable players." And with those parting words, she left, her heels echoing in the atrium as she turned away.

It had begun to rain and the Inquisitor had still yet to return to Skyhold. The sky grew darker as the hours passed, and Vivienne would be lying if she said she wasn't concerned at all. When everyone had tucked in for the night, the Knight Enchanter waited underneath the arch beneath the steps that led to the main halls of Skyhold.

She was unsure of how much time had passed, but by the time she spotted the Herald making her way up the steps to her quarters, the rain had become a steady downpour. She watched as the Inquisitor, normally so upbeat with a restless energy about her, trudged through the rain with slow, careful steps. Her feet were silent as she climbed the stairs, and it was only when she was right beneath the arch that she lifted her head high enough to finally notice the Knight Enchanter before her.

"Lady Vivienne," she spoke surprised, her voice was slightly cracked and her hair was plastered along her face from the rain. "What are you doing out here?" As she finished the question, she managed to compose herself, carefully putting on the mask of the leader of the Inquisition – straightening her shoulders and steadying the lilt of her voice. Vivienne was impressed with her skill and composure. Taryn Lavellan was able to wear masks about as well as any Orlesian who spent their entire lives playing the Great Game could. Although she supposed it was in the nature of rogues to hold their cards close to their bosom. But games were not what Vivienne was here for.

"I was looking for_ you_, Lady Herald," she replied honestly.

The Herald blinked, surprised yet again by the woman's words. But quickly, she shook herself and looked up at Vivienne. "Of course, Lady Vivienne. What is it you need?" There was no accusation or malice in her words. Simply an eagerness to help as the Inquisitor was always so fond of doing (and likely a pressing need for a distraction). And it always caught the mage off guard how a Dalish elf was so willing to help others without asking for anything in return, even when she was clearly hurting so.

"Nothing, darling. You need not worry about me." She waved the elf's inquiries off. "I was simply concerned when the apostate returned to Skyhold without you at his side." She said the words casually but fixed Lavellan with a knowing look. And it was then that the elf's composure began to falter, and her shoulders began to droop under the weight of whatever had occurred earlier.

"Oh," she whispered, so softly that the word was almost lost to the sounds of wind and rain. "So you already know then."

"No need to worry, my dear, I will not tell anyone," she comforted and placed one hand softly on Taryn's shoulder while the other reached to brush the hair out of the woman's face. Her auburn hair was dark with the rain and as Vivienne pushed her bangs aside, it was then that she noticed something different. Something _missing_. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the Inquisitor's face bare, and she watched as the Inquisitor tensed, thinking the ire in her eyes was directed at her and although Vivienne was hardly the most supportive human out there, even she could not help but want to reach out to the woman before her who was hurting so. "Did he take away your vallaslin?" She practically asked, tone holding a dangerous edge to it.

Lavellan looked up, with wide eyes. "No!" She implored. "Well – yes but.. I asked him to." The Inquisitor wasn't one to wear her emotions so plainly so it sai much about what must have happened that she was revealing so much right now. She looked away from Vivienne and let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. "A lot happened tonight that I had no control over. But this, at least," she gestured to her now bare forehead. "This was my choice."

Vivienne nodded in understanding, no sign of judgment in her eyes that Taryn was endlessly grateful for (because she knew, starting tomorrow, that there would be plenty of that from her peers). Who would have guessed that a shemlen and a Circle Mage at that would be the one who offered her comfort after this ordeal. And comfort she so very needed.

Vivienne gently wrapped her arms around Taryn in a comforting embrace as she saw her composure begin to waver. "It will be okay, child," she whispered into her hair. And it was those words above all else that broke her resolve. Taryn had been proud of herself on her way back to Skyhold. After all, she did not cry as Solas said those dreaded words, nor did she cry as he left her behind confused and alone. The elf would be getting no such satisfaction in seeing her break down before him. She though that that was that. That she would take the night to gather her resolve and resume her daily duties in the morning. It was the Knight Enchanter's words, however, that caused the dam to burst and Taryn felt helpless as she let out a sob against the woman's shoulder. Vivienne reminded her Keeper Dashanna, made her feel at home. _ All will be well, da'len_. The words of the Keeper echoed in her mind and Taryn shook as she thought about how she would be forsaken from her people for removing her vallaslin, how there would be no such promises from the Keeper from here on out. So she gave herself to this moment of weakness, taking comfort in the one who offered it to her. And Vivienne would be there for the Inquisitor, for the one who had been there for her when she was the one mourning over the loss of Duke Bastien, who had helped a man who was a perfect stranger for the sake of a woman who disagreed with her own personal values.

By the time Lavellan pulled away, the quiver in her lip had steadied and she had managed to send Vivienne a shaky, watery smile that was vaguely reminiscent of her typical playful one. It was not as reassuring as she supposed the Inquisitor thought it was, but the mage would take it as a small victory nonetheless.

Taryn looked at Vivienne's clothes, now wet with tears and rain. "Ir abelas, Vivienne, I got your Orlesian silks all wet."

Vivienne smiled softly. "No need to worry, child, it is to be expected with the downpour we are having." And Taryn gave the woman a grateful look for allowing her to keep some semblance of dignity after crying on the woman's shoulder. "Now, let us get you out of the rain, my dear. I think we could both go for a nice warm cup of tea."


End file.
